Bangladesh cruised to a comfortable eight-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in the opening tri-nations campaign on Monday, overtaking the visitors’ meagre total of 170 with overs and wickets to spare.

Tamim Iqbal struck an unbeaten 84 to lead the chase as Bangladesh reached 171-2 in 28.3 overs after left-arm spinner Shakib al Hasan gave the team early momentum with two wickets in the opening over of Zimbabwe’s innings.

Shakib finished the day with 3-43 and he also scored 37.

`I think losing two wickets inside the first over shifted the momentum,’ Zimbabwean skipper Graeme Creamer told reporters after the match.

”We have got a couple of starts but could not make them count,’ he added.

Sikandar Raza top-scored for Zimbabwe with 52 and he added 50 runs with Peter Moore(33) to help them past 150.

Tamim, who hit eights fours and a six, lost his opening partner Anamul Haque (19) early but added 78 with Sakib for the second wicket to set up the victory for Bangladesh.

Bangladesh will face Sri Lanka in their next game on January 19.

Zimbabwe  1st innings

 Hamilton Masakadza   c Mushfiqur Rahim b Mashrafe Mortaza            15

 Craig Ervine         c Sabbir Rahman b Shakib Al Hasan                0

 Brendan Taylor       c Mushfiqur Rahim b Mustafizur Rahman           24

 Sikandar Raza        Run Out Shakib Al Hasan                         52

 Malcolm Waller       c Sabbir Rahman b Sunzamul Islam                13

 Peter Moor           b Rubel Hossain                                 33

 Graeme Cremer        c Rubel Hossain b Shakib Al Hasan               12

 Kyle Jarvis          Not Out                                          4

 Tendai Chatara       b Rubel Hossain                                  0

 Blessing Muzarabani  b Mustafizur Rahman                              1

 Extras               0b 5lb 0nb 0pen 11w                             16

 Total                (49.0 overs)                           170 all out

Fall of Wickets : 1-2 Mire, 2-2 Ervine, 3-30 Masakadza, 4-51 Taylor, 5-81 Waller, 6-131 Butt, 7-161 Cremer, 8-167 Moor, 9-167 Chatara, 10-170 Muzarabani

Did Not Bat : Mire

 Bowling            Ov  Md  Rn  Wk  Econ  Ex

 Shakib Al Hasan    10   0  43   3  4.30  3w

 Sunzamul Islam     10   0  29   1  2.90  1w

 Mashrafe Mortaza    9   0  25   1  2.78  1w

 Mustafizur Rahman  10   1  29   2  2.90  1w

 Rubel Hossain       5   0  24   2  4.80  1w

 Nasir Hossain       5   0  15   0  3.00

Bangladesh  1st innings

 Tamim Iqbal      Not Out                            84

 Anamul Haque     c Craig Ervine b Sikandar Raza     19

 Shakib Al Hasan  lbw Sikandar Raza                  37

 Mushfiqur Rahim  Not Out                            14

 Extras           0b 0lb 5nb 0pen 12w                17

 Total            (28.3 overs)                    171-2

Fall of Wickets : 1-30 Bijoy, 2-108 Al Hasan

Did Not Bat : Mahmudullah, Hossain, Rahman, Mortaza, Hossain, Islam, Rahman

 Bowling               Ov  Md  Rn  Wk  Econ  Ex

 Kyle Jarvis            4   0  15   0  3.75  1w

 Tendai Chatara         3   0  26   0  8.67  1nb

 Sikandar Raza         10   1  53   2  5.30  4w

 Blessing Muzarabani    4   0  31   0  7.75  1w 4nb

 Graeme Cremer        7.3   0  46   0  6.13  2w